Visual field attention is reduced by concomitant hands-free conversation on a cellular telephone.

Barkana Y, Zadok D, Morad Y, Avni I.

Ophthalmol. 138(3):347-353, 2004

PURPOSE: To quantify the central attention-diverting effect of hands-free
cellular phone conversation on visual field awareness.

DESIGN: Experimental
study.

METHODS: Twenty male and 21 female healthy participants performed a
pretest and baseline Esterman visual field examinations with the Humphrey
Systems Visual Field Analyzer II. During the consequent third examination,
each participant engaged in a hands-free conversation using a cellular
phone. The conversation was the same for all participants. Visual field
performance parameters were compared between the second (baseline)
examination, and the third (test) examination for each eye.

RESULTS: During
phone conversation, missed points increased from mean 1.0 +/- 1.5 to 2.6 +/-
3.4 (P <==.001) in the right eye and from 1.1 +/- 1.53 to 3.0 +/- 3.4 (P
CONCLUSION: We describe a new model for the
quantification of the attention-diverting effect of cellular-phone
conversation on the visual field. In the current study, cellular hands-free
conversation caused some subjects to miss significantly more points, react
slower to each stimulus, and perform with reduced precision. Legislative
restrictions on concomitant cellular-phone conversation and driving may need
to be based on individual performance rather than a general ban on cellular
phone usage.